Hacking AK2i won't update

[SalvadorOliveira]

ok, in a nutshell; updated my 3DS to 4.1.8-u because, by my earlier readings, my firmware was fine. (reads as Chronicles of Narnia).

Now, when I load my flashcart, it gives me a "can't read" error.

When I put it into my GF's 3DS (old firmware), it works fine.

So, I download the updater, load it up, and when it says to continue or any other key to cancel, it just auto-selects cancel. It doesn't even give me a chance to update.

as an aside, I tried to update my firmware through the updater on my 3DS before updating the console's firmware, but it gave me the same issue...so it can't be "there's a button stuck down" unless it's stuck down on both DSes...

...ideas? is there somewhere I can get the new firmware (which is apparantly supposed to load to "Deep Labyrinth") without updating this way? because if so, I cna't find it...even after manually uninstalling and reinstaling the OS..

 

[Another World]

make sure you run the update on the 3ds that has not yet been updated. you can not run the update on a system that has a firmware greater than the one you are trying to update for.

try running the update using the last official release of the acekard firmware, and not akaio.

follow the guide for further instructions: http://gbatemp.net/topic/326237-how-to-update-the-ak2i-bootloader/

-another world

 

[Lacius]

Try selecting different Homebrew Reset Types under Rom Settings until it works. If that does not work, do what Another World said and use an old Acekard firmware that isn't AKAIO.

 

[Aeter]

Also use the correct update file for 3DS not the DSL (DS Lite) one.

 

[Fishaman P]

Happened to me. I was so confused until I realized that the updater loads so fast that me pressing A to load it was also canceling it.

tl;dr
Load the updater by pressing A once really fast.

 

[SalvadorOliveira]

ok, I wound up updating to regular old AKi firmware (AKmenu4.24), now half my games won't load...no Pokemon Black, no Yugioh 2011, no Golden Sun Dark Dawn, nothing.

I've tried searching around in the settins, but I can't find anything in there that'll apply anti-piracy measures...
...also, I've tried holding down A for the entire loading time, but all the aforementioned games stop loading at a white screen...

 

[Lacius]

ok, I wound up updating to regular old AKi firmware (AKmenu4.24), now half my games won't load...no Pokemon Black, no Yugioh 2011, no Golden Sun Dark Dawn, nothing.

I've tried searching around in the settins, but I can't find anything in there that'll apply anti-piracy measures...
...also, I've tried holding down A for the entire loading time, but all the aforementioned games stop loading at a white screen...

You're only supposed to use the non-AKAIO firmware to update your Acekard to work with the newest 3DS firmware. After that, you should switch back to using AKAIO for game compatibility.

 

[jimmyemunoz]

ok, I wound up updating to regular old AKi firmware (AKmenu4.24), now half my games won't load...no Pokemon Black, no Yugioh 2011, no Golden Sun Dark Dawn, nothing.

I've tried searching around in the settins, but I can't find anything in there that'll apply anti-piracy measures...
...also, I've tried holding down A for the entire loading time, but all the aforementioned games stop loading at a white screen...

Once you have updated the Acekard 2i's firmware, you put AKAIO back on your micro sd card as the kernel. AKAIO will run all the games you mentioned, without issues. Enjoy!

 

[SalvadorOliveira]

where should I be putting the __aio folder? I tried putting it in the root, and removing __ak2, but I had the same problem, and the interface looked weird.

...should __aio go into plugins, or do I need to make a new kernel folder in __ak2, or what?

 

[jimmyemunoz]

_aio folder goes into the root. Format your sd card and add AKAIO. And then add your games and shit. Doing it this way will be easier/better than deleting the old kernel files and adding the new kernel at the same exact time.

 

[SalvadorOliveira]

but if I format, won't I lose the update I just managed?

 

[jimmyemunoz]

but if I format, won't I lose the update I just managed?

No, the firmware update flashes a chip on the flashcard's circuit board. This is the reason why so many people brick their flash cards, they don't research exactly what a flash card is, and what it does. Let me explain, if you interrupt the firmware flashing process the flash card will become bricked because the flash chip on the circuit board wont have its instructions fully written. Anyways, by flashing a firmware update, an on-board chip is re-written on your Acekard, so formatting your micro sd card will not prevent the Acekard from being compatible with the Nintendo firmware bypass you just flashed to the said chip. The kernel is another story! Formatting will take away the kernel but only until you reapply the kernel to your micro sd card.

 

[SalvadorOliveira]

so...I just wanna take everything off, format it, then put my __aio, NDS folders back, along with my akmenu4.nds file, right?

...seems deceptively simple...

 

[jimmyemunoz]

so...I just wanna take everything off, format it, then put my __aio, NDS folders back, along with my akmenu4.nds file, right?

...seems deceptively simple...

Exactly! Your right it is too simple! Also, make sure you have the newest loaders that go into the "_aio/loaders" folder. You can get them from akaio.net or download them by using the nifty little WiFi app. built into the AKAIO kernel. While in AKAIO, press the "Start" button then select "More" and then "WiFi Update"

 

[SalvadorOliveira]

I dowloaded 1.8.9z, o that should have the newest loaders already, right?

EDIT: did all that; the format (using the panasonic thingy, like I'm supposed to), and reloaded the aforementioned files...

still can't load games, and I can't get into the "start" menu to do anything to fix anything...

 

[jimmyemunoz]

IIRC yes. If you want to be safe just download ones you know are the newest and learn how to update your loaders.

 

[SalvadorOliveira]

it's still not loading most of my games, there's no menu images, and hitting "start" crashes it...what am I missing? I'e already added the newest loader form the main site...

also: __aio shows up in the root folder, whereas __ak2 never did...should I be merging/overwriting __aio into __ak2?

edit: renamed __aio into __ak2, no dice, all I got was skins...

 

[Another World]

it sounds like you either have a bad msd card or a fake ak2i. it is also possible that all your "debugging" corrupted most of your files.

this is what you need to do:
1. reformat your msd card using the panasonic formatter
2. download a fresh clean copy of akaio 1.8.9z
3. put the _aio and akmenu4.nds files in root
4. get a fresh clean copy of a rom
5. verify by CRC that its clean and not corrupted
6. put it on, load up the card, try it...

if it works, then start putting on more files 1 at a time and testing to see if they are corrupted or not

if it doesn't work then you have bigger problems.

-another world

 

[SalvadorOliveira]

I got the AK2i from a link I found on here, and my msd card was working perfectly beforehand, as was my card...

I've already used that reformatter, and it didn't seem to do much.

I also already have a fresh copy of 1.8.9z, still in its .zip, DL'd the other day from the official site...

the roms all worked on my old card, and mostly worked before I updated everything (don't know, didn't test all)

I'll load up my rom backups, though, and see if maybe that's the issue...

 

[Another World]

just because you bought it from a link you found here doesn't mean you were shipped a real ak2i. don't assume. check the anti-counterfeit code.

you really need to follow the steps i outlined in the order i typed them. it doesn't matter what you did before hand or while debugging, i need to know that you just performed them so that i can cross some things off my debug list. that way i can make some suggestions.

please do me a favor and check the anti-counterfeit code and tell me what acekard.com reports about that code. then follow the steps i typed, but stop after you test 1 rom that you have verified to be a good clean dump. skipping a step or assuming you don't need to perform one will make it much more difficult to help you.

if you have a second flash kit then get that ready because i'm going to ask for some debugging to take place after you test that 1 rom file.

you have your choice on what tool you want to use to get the crc32 value of the file. you can check the value against the listing at advanscene.com. just search for the rom by release number and compare the value.

-another world